After
by crazygal360
Summary: Danny's life is starting to change, rapidly. Who knows what the consequences will be? Set after the final episode and contains SPOILERS for the entire series of Party Animals.
1. Straight After

_Disclaimer: Party Animals does not belong to me._

Straight After

"We're always fine, Danny."

Sometimes my brother is painfully easy to read, he didn't mean it. I'd like to say that my brother never really meant any of the nice stuff he said to me, but I'd be lying. Scott generally means what he says and when he doesn't he has a great reason for it, but I couldn't work out his reasoning this time. Why didn't he yell and scream and punch me in the face? I had taken the one thing he still cared about.

That's something I've always hated about Scott; he cares about so little. He doesn't have any big causes to fight for. He barely even cares about Dad's constituency. He used to care about Jake, but he's gone and I've lost him forever. Now all he cares about is her, the girl he can never have, that Tory bitch. She deserved everything she got.

My head was spinning, the last couple of months racing through my mind. I had to get out, so I put on a jacket and left. I walked aimlessly along the pier, semi-hoping to see Kristy. I sat and waited in the pub for no one as it got louder and quieter, and then the weirdest thought came into my mind. I'd like to say I was drunk, but I hadn't had a drink all night. I'd like to say that it was just being over tired, but I felt so awake. I'd like to say it was a bad idea, but somewhere I know it wasn't.

I called the cab and caught it to where Jo lived, I didn't even hesitate before knocking on the door. She appeared half dressed at the door, hair out and incredibly blurry.

"Danny?" she muttered, "What are you doing here?"

I tried to answer her. I told her about leaking the photos of that woman and James Northcott. I told her about that woman and Scott. I told her about the election and about how close we were to loosing Dad's seat, and then I started crying.

People have always seen me as one of those "sensitive guys" that you can talk to about anything moving and they'll get all emotional. I hate that, but I'm generally too polite to tell them. I hate crying, so I try not to. It just happens sometimes.

Jo normally would yell and tell me that I was an idiot and that I'm a shit researcher, but she didn't. She just stood there, blocking the door and staring at me. I calm down in a second and she pulled me inside the house.

I don't remember much after that, it was late and by then I was feeling tired. We sat together for a while and talked about work. I think Jo said something about how admirable my loyalty to Dad was, and what an asset I was to the party. When she went to make a cup of tea I must have collapsed on the couch because when I woke up it was morning and I was chewing on one of her embroidered pillows.

"Wake up Danny!" Jo roughly shook my shoulder; "I can tell you're not sick so you can't take the day off. Work!"

"Jo…" I moaned, as she flung open the curtains, dressed in the same business uniform I saw her in everyday.

She moved closer to me and knelt down next to the couch, her lips brushed my ear as she spoke softly.

"You and Kristy helped me out when I was like this. I can't not help you."

"And besides," she straightened up, "I need you in work today, we've got a new bill to start work on."


	2. Day After

_Disclaimer: Party Animals does not belong to me._

Danny Foster scanned the page as quickly as possible, trying to find news on who their latest adversary was to be. James Northcott had announced his resignation an hour ago, although it had been expected since the affair between him and his researcher became public knowledge. It was shocking how long it had taken really, considering the scandal surrounding the researcher's quick rise to power, but it was obvious that James' party wanted to keep his talent on their side. It was only when his wife left him that rumours had shot around that the long-awaited resignation was finally going to happen.

Kristy, now elevated to the level of co-researcher with Danny, had announced it with great zeal that morning and the office had been buzzing ever since. It seemed that every news station wanted Jo's opinion on the matter; she was out of breath racing from interview to interview. This was, after all, her former adversary.

As always, the three had agreed on saying that James' personal business had nothing to do with politics. That had been Labour's position on the story ever since it broke, although Jo had been more willing to change it today. Danny wondered if it had anything to do with their talk last night, he had been too tired to remember much of what was said. Still, it was what was best for the party that mattered and not his personal feeling, and what was best for the party was to keep to their original lines. Divorce had to be kept less than scandalous at the moment because Jo had almost finished going through nasty one of her own.

"Danny!" Kirsty's voice broke his reflection, "Have you finished looking at that guy's profile yet?"

"S-sorry." He stuttered, barely stifling a yawn.

"Big night celebrating with Scott?" Kristy teased.

"Not really, he's - " Danny bit himself off as she peered at him curiously, "He's just really tired."

"So you did all the celebrating for him then?"

He grimaced, preparing to tell Kristy what had really happened. She would wheedle it out of him later anyway, best just get it over with now.

"Kirsty, Scott…" She eyed him curiously as Jo walked in, cutting him off.

"James Northcott has resigned, there's no clue who his replacement is and instead of researching the most likely candidates my researchers are discussing their latest exploits. There are times I despair of you two!" Something instinctively told Danny that the interview had gone badly.

"What happened?" Kirsty's brow furrowed.

"There's a rumour going around about the photo of James Northcott and his research assistant, which Sophie Montgomery had the nerve to imply!" Jo snapped, "So now, I'm off to do some damage control at the Whip's office, I trust you'll actually realise you are at work in the mean time!"

Jo disappeared into her office momentarily, before grabbing a paper that Danny offered to her and dashing out again.

Kirsty let out a low whistle, "What do you think the rumour was?"

Now it was Danny's turn to frown, "I'm not sure…"

"How long do you think she'll be?"

"Why?"

"I'm checking Village Vermin, everything inevitably starts there." Kirsty frantically typed in her username and password, silently begging the rumour wasn't what she dreaded it would be.

Danny tried to get back to work, biting back a critical comment on Kirsty's work ethic. The fact was, he wanted to know what the rumour was to. He wanted the comfort of knowing that it wasn't the truth, but as Kirsty looked up he could see he was deprived of any such comfort.

"What does it say?"

She swallowed and began nervously reading, "A reputable source leaking photos of dangerous liaisons? Surely one hoping to dig up the culprit should look no further than Jo Porter's office, home of shameless slanderer researchers. Perhaps it was hoped that the story would draw away reporters from Ms Porters own sticky divorce."

Danny breathed in sharply through his teeth. There were only three people that knew about the photos prior to their release: himself, Kirsty and Scott. Scott didn't have an account on Village Vermin, at least not one he knew about, and Kirsty had everything to lose as she had played a big role in sending them to the paper. Suspicion filled him.

"Danny?" Kirsty looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Erm, yeah," He avoided her gaze, "It's bad but they can't actually trace it back to us. We'll deny and deny and deny and another story will come along."

"They won't believe us."

His voice cracked with anger and pain, "Then we'll make them believe us! Get back to work! It's important for Jo to know the candidates."

"Whatever…" Kirsty muttered under her breath and turned back towards her computer.


End file.
